The ideal way to house your dwarf cichlids - The fish rack!!

[benny]

Best if meet up with me and I can draw it up for you.

If I'm not mistaken, Green Chapter can provide complete solution if you need it to look like a part of your furnishings. But beautiful things comes with a price tag.

Cheers,

[pepe2403]

Thanks a lot benny. I will look you up once i am ready to embark on this project. Right now i need to shelf the apisto rack project off for a couple of months as i might be changin my job.

[Titus]

thanks benny. will buzz you when I am ready to add on the rack

[illumnae]

change of plans for my rack haha....fiancee concerned about how kid-safe the rack will be in future, so this 3 tier rack is gonna be increased to 5ft and have the lowest tier used as a bookshelf instead so that kids can't accidentally fall into the lowest tier of tanks

[benny]

Do not do that. The set up will become top heavy. A proper rack will take into consideration access or to restrict access by unwanted factors.

Cheers,

[illumnae]

haha ok benny...i really need to consult you on this then!

[doppelbanddwarf]

Eh perhaps a cover like those seen in Gene's and Biotopeshop's racks, but one that is more secure? They can keep the fish in and kids out.

[wks]

Yixaing, many years ago I saw a friend built his betta rack at a corner, one side was blocked by a book shelves the other side was the wall. The access was barricaded by a baby gate which he bought from Ikea, so his baby daughter could not reach the rack. Maybe you can try this design too.

[exotic_idiot]

Hi guys, i'm also interested in the setup of a rack trying to find ways to improve my own setup. I seen before Gene's setup before something like biotope very neat and tidy. Care to share too? Thanks

[yorky]

Bene, your illustrations below are amusing but very true.
Its very tiring for individuals to maintain the hobby unless its his full-time job.
Somehow, there should be a collective effort by a group of hobbyists to share shipments and breeding programs to get this going constructively for all.

I'm not so worried about illness, if tank water are kept in check, the possibility of one of the apisto having illness is not going to be great.

Backache & time is the major problem. I will not change 20-30 tanks of water manually, it just doesn't make sense when technology nowadays are so advance.

Housing them for viewing purpose should set you back about 20 or so tanks. How about a more detailed view on the distribution.

One fine day i decided to buy a pair of apisto.

• Apistogramma 'A' ( Tank A )

Few days later either one died. So you have one tank with one Apisto.

I'm going to buy another pair of the same species.

• Apistogramma 'B' ( Tank B )

A few weeks later it decides to breed.
Fish out the male for the female to take care of the brood. ( Tank C )

Decides to get another pair of apisto

• Apistogramma 'C' ( Tank D )

Few months later the female of (Tank B) needs to be removed for the fries to grow. Decided that to place it at (Tank C) where her partner is.
Couldn't live well together, got chase and bitten by the male. Remove and place it in another tank ( Tank E )

Fries need a larger grow up tank, transfer it to a large 4 footer ( Tank F )
Apistogramma 'A' seems to be docile and so move the Tank E female to Tank A. ( Need to free some space, got solid shipment of apisto from Amazon)

Went shopping for apisto , saw 3 pairs of very nice apisto.
Bought them.

Placement :

• Tank E
• Tank G
• Tank H

2 out of 3 newly introduced apisto spawned & the fries are 1 Cm big. Removal of Tank E & G males to

• Tank I & J

Additional 2 x 2ft for grow up .
Tank K & L

The list goes on & on till Z and beginning from A again.


I cannot imagine myself with a day job or studying & got to change the tank water of so many. It's just not feasible. Your hobby has made a turn point from keeping fish to changing water.

So my thoughts on this issue will be minimise by:

1. Getting high quality apisto in 2 pairs (If budget allows)
2. Giving away single apisto or getting another pair
3. Keep less but better quality (why i keep saying this)
4. Fries of good strain high quality parentage will yield better price & ease of sales
5. etc

If all else fails, let us know. We will brainstorm a suitable solution.

[benetay]

So yorky are you planning to start such a program?

[yorky]

I am not sure about breeding programs.

Shipment sharing works fine with me.

[benetay]

With the number of people sharing a shipment i think it shouldn't be an issue. Breeding program needs a public access place and commitment of fellow members.

[Wackytpt]

Interesting thread..

Let keep the discussion on going.

I don't think it is the sharing of shipment.

But more of the attitude of some hobbist.

Some are willing to share, and others might not.

Cheers

[pepe2403]

Shipment sharing? Sounds interesting. Can tell me more about that? I am sure with a common understanding among everyone there should not be much of a problem.

[benny]

Local hobbyists don't support local fish shops and orders overseas.

Shops don't carry many fishes as sales are not good. Prices become high as volume transacted is low.

Then hobbyists complain that local fish shops have no fishes or miserable selection and that prices are high.

Then local hobbyists don't support local fish shop and orders overseas.

No Cheers,

[pepe2403]

Overseas shipment? Are we allowed to do so?

[bossteck]

My wife will say... You think our home is fish shop ah?
But I would love to have the described setup as well... but for bettas though.

[benetay]

I guess there are many people in this forum who wishes to co-own something like that one day.

Ideas are always flowing but it's difficult to come to a conclusion.

A place where racks & racks of tanks housing fishes according to their family. A betta section with 50 tanks, a apisto section with 50 tanks, cory section 50 tanks etc...

So order overseas fishes locally?

[genes]

You guys are forgetting the maintenance involved. With that many tanks. How do you plan to maintain them? Water change, feeding, taking care of fries and list goes on. Main killer would have to be water changing.

As mentioned, there are some setups that can help to lessen such chores but they come at a price unless you DIY which can be quite a task for large setups. Here is an example to ease water change.
http://tropicalis.berkeley.edu/home/...B_1_e_ii_3.htm